'Scoop': Prince Andrew's infamous BBC interview that put him in hot water inspires Netflix film
LONDON, ENGLAND: Netflix's biographical drama film 'Scoop' takes inspiration from real events surrounding the 2019 BBC television interview of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, which was conducted by BBC's presenter and journalist Emily Maitlis.
The Netflix film is based on Sam McAlister's book 'Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews'. It offers an inside look at the BBC's most compelling and controversial interviews, including Maitlis' 2019 interview with Andrew.
'Scoop' stars Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes, Connor Swindells, and Romola Garai in pivotal roles.
'Scoop' reveals the dramatic story behind Prince Andrew's 2019 interview
In 2019, Andrew was interviewed by BBC journalist Maitlis about his friendship with the American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The interview sparked intense scrutiny and further damaged his reputation.
In the interview, Andrew publicly discussed his interactions with Epstein for the first time, revealing that he first met Epstein in 1999. Andrew stated that he did not regret his friendship with Epstein, because "the people that I met and the opportunities that I was given to learn either by him or because of him were actually very useful."
'Scoop' delves into the behind-the-scenes efforts of the women of the BBC Two news and current affairs program 'Newsnight', who negotiated with the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the historic interview with Andrew.
The Netflix film offers a fictional dramatization of the interview, with Gillian Anderson portraying Emily Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew.
The film explores the behind-the-scenes negotiations and dynamics between the characters involved, providing a nuanced look at the process of securing the sensational interview.
Exploring the intricacies of Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein
In 2011, BBC News highlighted the ongoing criticism surrounding the friendship between Andrew and Epstein.
Andrew's friendship with Epstein began when Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's girlfriend at the time, introduced them, as reported by The Guardian.
Later on, Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, revealed in an interview with The Telegraph that Andrew helped arrange for Epstein to settle £15,000 of her debts.
This disclosure added another layer of scrutiny to Andrew's relationship with Epstein, raising questions about the extent of his involvement in Epstein's affairs.
In 2014, lawyers Bradley J. Edwards and Paul G. Cassell filed a court document in Florida alleging that Andrew was one of several prominent individuals who had sexual encounters with a minor, identified as Virginia Giuffre, as reported by TIME.
Giuffre claimed that she was trafficked for sex by Epstein. A civil case filed by Giuffre against Andrew was later settled for an undisclosed sum in February 2022.
How to stream 'Scoop'?
'Scoop' will premiere on Netflix on Friday, April 5.
One needs to have an active subscription to the streaming platform to watch 'Scoop'.
A Netflix membership is available starting from $6.99/month for the standard plan with ads. The standard plan without ads is priced at $15.49/month, while the Premium plan costs $22.99/month.
'Scoop' trailer